John Duke's Friends

John Duke's Groups

John Duke's Discussions

My cabin in Richmond, Virginia, is about 100 years old. As far as I can tell, nothing has been done to the outside of the logs since it was constructed. (The inside has already been renovated. The…Continue

I have some Portland cement chinking that is otherwise in good shape, but there are some small gaps or cracks where it has shrunk and no longer adheres to the log. I can see daylight from the inside,…Continue

Has anyone ever used clay plaster to cover interior chinking? Clay is a product that is used as a finish on walls. It is very environmentally friendly, won't mildew, can be easily repaired, will…Continue

John Duke's Page

Profile Information

Tell us about yourself:

My wife and I are renovating a 100 year old log cabin in the city of Richmond, Virginia. We want to maintain the character of the structure while making it comfortably modern. We are attempting to use environmentally friendly products. The project is documented at http://condemnationplantation.blogspot.com/

The final barrier to full legal compliance with the city's building code has been the stairway. The eight steps down to the lower level and an additional two to the bathroom require handrails to satisfy the guardians of our safety. I think it is similar to Darien refusing to let me wear slippers without treads,…

Take the doorbell, for example. An inexpensive electric chime was installed during the first renovation, but somewhere during the reconstruction it was disconnected and no longer functions. We have been without one since we moved in last…

Work has slowed down on the cabin, letting us gear up for the next phase. Mr. Seals is up in the mountains hunting this weekend, but a few weeks ago Robin invited us over to help him celebrate his birthday ...